What did coach Kim Sang Sik say?

Vietnam lost 1-3 in their away match against Iraq in the final match of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers in Asia. This result did not cause much surprise because the other team was rated higher and was proven by their superiority in the history of confrontation. However, Vietnam still left a good impression with their spirit of playing with all their might.

Speaking to the media after the match, coach Kim Sang Sik expressed regret that the harsh summer weather conditions in Basra did not support the match, making it difficult for players from both teams to play on the field.

Coach Kim Sang Sik said that the Vietnamese players tried their best (Photo: VFF).

Besides, before the match took place, the situation of Group F was also decided after Indonesia's 2-0 victory over the Philippines, which also created a certain impact on the players' mood. However, the Korean coach still affirmed the determination and very clear goals of the Vietnam team.

Coach Kim Sang Sik said: “The Vietnamese players were really eager to win and we entered the match with that goal. We tried our best to win and also prepared carefully before the match. But we were not successful against a stronger Iraq. We are a bit disappointed, but we tried our best.”

Thus, with the inability to continue in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, the Vietnam National Team will have to participate in the third qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup to compete for a ticket to the Finals to take place in Saudi Arabia.

The third qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup will begin in March 2025 with the participation of 24 teams and drawn into 6 groups of 4 teams each, competing in a double round-robin format to calculate points. The top 6 teams in each group will qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup finals along with 18 teams that have passed the second qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup and will have direct tickets.

Source: https://vov.vn/the-thao/hop-bao-sau-tran-dt-iraq-3-1-dt-viet-nam-hlv-kim-sang-sik-noi-gi-post1100958.vov